Motor-car.



3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Patented Mar. 22, 1910.

P. R. MARTIN & O. M. SHEPHERD.

' MOTOR OAR. APPLICATION FILED JAN.7, 1907. 952,457, Patented Mar. 22, 1910. s SHEETS-SHEET z.

F. R. MARTIN & 0. M. SHEPHERD.

MOTOROAR. I APPLICATION FILED JAN. '1. 1907. 952 457 I v Patented Mar. 22, 1910. a sums-$113111 3. O

l o v N- i If M1 I 1 O I) q I:

EI-Ii {LQW 0 E o L Al w FREDERICK RIPON MARTIN AND OSWAIiD MONTAGU SHEPHERD, OF LONDON,

ENGLAND.

MOTOR-GAR.

ipecifieation of Letters latent. Pafienijed'llfal. 22, 1919- Application filed January 7; 1907. Serial No. 351,281.

To all whom it my concerns Be it lnnown that. we, FREDERICK RIPON MARTIN, a subject of the King of Great Britain, and a resident of 24: Egerton Gardens, Ealing, London,- England, and

GswALD MONTAGU Snnrnnnn, a subject of the King of Great Britain, and a resident of Rutland House, Hanwell, London, Eng

land, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Motor-Cars, of which the following is the specification.

There have been several attempts to provide asatisfactory arrangement whereby the driving of the steering wheels of motor cars may be effected. Hitherto, however, no arrangement suggested has proved quite successful as far as we are aware, and we have therefore devised the hereinaftendescribed improvements whereby better results may be obtained than heretofore. 7

According to our invention we mount the steering Wheels on swiveling axles which consist of hollow extensions extending horizontally from boxes or casings carried by vertical pivotal arrangements mounted on' a dead axle which supports the front of the body of the vehicle. To drive the steering wheels thus mounted, flexible shaft-ing is employed, or a driving axle having at least two universal joints on either side of the balance gear to which it is connected. Such fie 'ible or jointed shafting is not, however,

adapted for supporting the balance gear box in a suitable manner, and we therefore carry the latter in a bracket pendent from the car frame, which bracket may be properly distanced to maintain at suitable tension the chain connecting the balance gear with the engine, by means of an adjustable radius bar.

The flexible or universal-jointed driving pivot or swivel of the swiveling axles. The

said joint will thus be inclosed within the before-mentioned box or axle casing, and this box or casing may be conveniently used as a bath-for lubricating oil for the joint.

The engine is preferably mounted in a self-contained cradle entirely suspended from the car frame at two or more points by springs, so that the vibrations of the engine are not communicated to the car, and on the 'other hand the jolting and twisting imparted to the car frame are not imparted to the engine.

The accompanying drawings illustrate one embodiment of our invention.

Figure l is a front elevation of the front axles of the car, showing the arrangement of the'dea'd and the live axles. Fig. 2 isa section through the hollow swiveling axle or casing showing the connection of the flexi ble or live axle to the wheel. Fig, 3 is an elevation showing the method of the suspension of the engine from the frame and of the bracket carrying the balance gear. It is an elevation of the front of the car, with one front wheel, front spring and steering gear removed.

Like letters refer to like parts in all the figures.

A is the dead or Weight-carrying axle, upon which the frame B is supported by the springs C.

D is the driving or live axle, which is carried at its center on the fixed support or bracket E. which is suspended from the Cross bar B of the frame it. which is rennet-ted to and driven by a chainwheel (not shown) fitted on the crankshaft of the motor (l drives the chain-\vhr-zel I.

This larger chain-wheel F is bolted to the outside of the drum or casing F which contains the differential or balance gear, the latter being mounted on the central portion' D of the driving axle I). This central portion of the axle is carried in the bean ings E it, which are suspended from the ends of the fixed bracket E. inch end of the central portion 1) of tbe-dr1v1ng axle l) is provided with a universal joint box or casing D D'-, which flexibly connects by The chain F.

mg hearings in -the bracket, and side portions having rigid connection with the wheels of the vehicle, said wheels being carried by a pivoted head secured to the ends of said dead axle and extending downwardly therefrom in universally connected relation to said live axle.

In testimony whereof We have signed our names to this specification in the presence of Witnesses I. D. Rooms, A. NUTTING. 

